


Last Call

by dremma



Series: Saving Private Loco [3]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen, Post-Season/Series 15, snapshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29791479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dremma/pseuds/dremma
Summary: Settled into life on Iris, Loco makes a phone call to check up on a friend.
Relationships: Loco & Mark Temple (Red vs. Blue)
Series: Saving Private Loco [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2186220
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	Last Call

As soon as the call connected and Mark Temple's scruffy, jumpsuit-clad figure came into focus, Loco grinned, bouncing excitedly on his feet.

"Mark! It's--it's me, it's Loco!"

Mark Temple looked exhausted and exasperated on the screen of the video call. "Loco… what? Where the hell did you go, man? And why are you calling me?"

Loco bit his lip. "I… I wanted you to know I'm ok, and I just-- I just wanted to know if you're ok too."

Temple's dead-eyed expression changed very little. "You want to know if I'm ok."

"Well, yeah. You're my friend… or, we used to be friends, at least," he finished in a murmur. Loco picked at one of his nails, anxiety starting to gnaw at his stomach again. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. After that whole… mess, Temple probably didn't want to be friends anymore.

"I'm in fucking prison, Loco. A UNSC prison. For life. Because your stupid machine didn't work and destroy them, and then you left me to get arrested with a broken fucking leg. How exactly did you think I was gonna be okay?" Loco looked down at his hands. They blurred as tears pricked their way into his eyes.

"I ...I don't know."

"Jesus Christ, Loco…" Temple ran a hand down his face. 

"The reporter lady was right."

"Hm?"

"About the black hole, thing. About the machine making one. It was powered by time distortion, and that-- it-- it was gonna eat the whole Earth. The reporter lady showed me some papers, she has a science friend at some lab somewhere that figured it out. And I didn't want it to eat the whole Earth. I didn't want it to eat you too." Loco bit his lip to stop it from wobbling. “So I stopped it.”

Temple blinked slowly, and lowered his face wearily into his hands. "Of course you'd find a way to make a literal doomsday device on accident," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, Mark, I'm sorry! I was just trying to do what you wanted."

"I know, buddy," Temple sighed, head still in his hands. "I know." He sat up after a minute, ruffling his hair. His voice was rough, and defeated, but he didn't sound resentful, somehow. “You know what, Loco? If anyone deserves another shot, it's you. You didn't want to hurt anyone. I asked you to. So, go on. Don't worry about me, okay? I'm... fine in here."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. But don't call back here, I don't want them finding you."

"We can't be traced, Mark, don't worry!" Loco said happily. "Mikey and I made sure this line is perfectly secured!"

Mark Temple sighed in fond exasperation. "I'm sure it is, man. They'll still figure out something's up though. So just… don't worry about me, and don't call back. Stay safe, ok? Can you do that for me?"

"Sure, I can," Loco said quietly, feeling sad again. "But, you too."

"What?" 

Loco looked up at the screen and stared at him earnestly. "You stay safe too, Mark. Okay? I heard prison is -- it’s a dangerous place."

Temple laughed faintly. "I can handle myself, Loco." The faint smile he offered was bittersweet. "But yeah, I'll be careful. Bye, buddy."

Loco hovered his hand over the call button but the screen had already gone dark. Temple had hung up. Caboose hovered nearby, wringing his hands nervously. Loco had been nearby to offer comfort after he'd said goodbye to Church, and he'd wanted to be there for his friend afterwards too. Loco rested his hand on the control panel, trembling.

"Loco… are you okay?" Caboose whispered.

Loco turned to him, his brown eyes filled with tears. He shook his head, lip wobbling, and Caboose folded him into the biggest bear hug he could manage.

**Author's Note:**

> after all the softness of the last two stories I feel obligated to apologize for the feels :( but closure is good, right? right? … I'm sorry😔
> 
> but also thank you all for the nice comments and encouragement ;u; Loco and caboose have made a permanent pillow fort in my brain and it's nice to hear I'm making something worthwhile


End file.
